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Section 52-256b – Award of attorney’s and officer’s fees in contempt action

May 11, 2021 | Civil Procedure, Connecticut

(a) When any person is found in contempt of any order or judgment of the Superior Court, the court may award to the petitioner a reasonable attorney’s fee and the fees of the officer serving the contempt citation, such sums to be paid by the person found in contempt.
(b) This section shall not apply to the case of any person found in contempt of an order of the Superior Court entered under sections 46b-60 to 46b-62, inclusive, 46b-81 to 46b-83, inclusive, or 46b-86, which is provided for under section 46b-87.

Conn. Gen. Stat. ยง 52-256b

(P.A. 76-435, S. 7, 82; P.A. 77-452, S. 27, 72; P.A. 82-160, S. 128.)

Cited. 11 CA 610; 18 CA 119; 22 CA 136; 26 CA 326. Court’s award of attorney’s fees had no factual basis where there was no evidence of the preparation of the case by plaintiff’s counsel and no hearing on such fees, and the reasonableness of fees was not proven. 129 CA 380. In civil contempt proceeding, due process requires the opportunity for defendant to have a hearing to present her own evidence and cross-examine witnesses re the extent of plaintiffs’ attorney’s fees and costs. 130 CA 835.